Friendship
by Tracy-Lou
Summary: Set sometime in the future. Ste and Brendan are together and Joel's finding it difficult to adjust. Joel's POV.


Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, they belong to Hollyoaks!

Summary: Set sometime in the future. Ste and Brendan are together and Joel's finding it difficult to adjust.

Friendship

Things were finally looking up. A few months had passed since their trip away together; him, Brendan and Cheryl. Theresa and him had been going strong for a while now, after he had explained his prolonged absence over summer. The club was ticking along nicely. Brendan was even treating him with more respect. The only sore spot was a rather mouthy, annoying disturbance of the peace, 'ratboy' as his Dad used to call him, apparently. A certain Ste Hay.

It had been fine, before they got back together. Ste was with that Doug, the one who worked with him at the deli. But when Brendan had returned after their trip with a new perspective and determination to win him back, everything had changed. It hadn't happened overnight of course. Joel remembered many a sleepless night when all he could hear downstairs was Brendan pacing around the living room until the early hours, muttering and cursing to himself.

Joel didn't know the ins and outs of how they got back together. He remembered coming downstairs one night and hearing hushed voices from Brendan's bedroom.

"I can't just... forget, Brendan. It doesn't work that way"

"I don't want ye too. I just want ye to trust me again"

"It isn't that simple"

"I know ye want me, Stephen"

"It's not enough" Ste said, but he didn't sound too sure.

There was silence then save a few breathless murmurs and the sounds of lips moving together.

"Just, ye know I love ye, don't ye?"

"I, I..."

Joel balled his fists. Was Ste an idiot? How often did Brendan bare his soul like that? He pushed his own misgivings to the back of his mind; Cheryl had filled him in on a few things, on their trip. Joel understood Brendan in a way he had never imagined to. It wasn't an entirely comfortable picture.

"Stephen... please" Brendan whispered, his voice almost breaking. Joel found himself holding his breath but after that there was only silence.

It transpired that after that night, the two were almost inseparable. For the first few days, Brendan barely let Ste out of his sight. It was annoying really; every time he tried to speak to Brendan, Ste would be there grinning up at him or stealing all the milk. Joel bit his tongue though, knowing from past experience that you did not mess with Brendan's guy.

He knew Ste disliked him and the feeling was entirely mutual. He hated the way Ste had Brendan's complete confidence, just because they shared a bed. Well, Joel certainly wasn't going to those lengths. He knew that he should be grateful really; Brendan had done a lot for him and it was nice seeing him happy again, if you could ever call Brendan 'happy'. He supposed having Ste around had its benefits. He was tidy, for one thing. Plus he only stayed a few nights a week on account of being with his kids.

Sometimes Ste would beg Brendan to go out and then Joel and Theresa would have the place to themselves, once Cheryl was dealt with too of course. Except sometimes he caught Ste and Theresa chatting over breakfast, giggling like they shared some joke.

"What's so funny?" he asked on one such occasion.

Theresa pushed her blonde hair away from her face, looking at Joel with affection and the remnants of amusement.

"Just reminiscing" she said, smiling back at Ste.

"About?" Joel asked, with great effort.

"Back in the day, we had some good times" Ste said, grinning like a moron.

Joel looked at them suspiciously. "You two didn't…?" he trailed off, feeling faintly sick.

"Oh yeah, mate. We dated a while" Ste told him with a little too much pride.

Brendan walked out of his room then, shirt unbuttoned and hanging loose. He poured himself a coffee, hardly glancing in their direction.

"Did you know about this, Brendan?" Joel asked, secretly glad there was something they could finally unite on.

"Hm?" Brendan only looked mildly interested. He glanced at Ste in nothing but a t-shirt and boxers with terrible bed hair and his gaze lingered a little too long.

"These two, getting it on"

Brendan's face flashed momentarily. "Is that right?"

"Years ago!" Ste said, looking a little tense. Joel smirked triumphantly.

Brendan grunted, pulling Ste back to the bedroom by his hand. Joel thought he heard him mumble something like "mine now though". He sighed, deflating.

"It's alright, babe" Theresa said, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I'm all yours, aren't I?"

Joel kissed the tip of her nose, appeased for now. "You bet"

Xxx

Since Lynsey's death, the Brady household hadn't felt the same. Brendan's son had visited for a while after and that had been… strange. For Joel at least. Declan hadn't liked him much; Joel supposed he saw him as a kind of threat. He loved Ste though of course and that irked Joel even more. He didn't understand what was so damn likeable about him. His ears were funny and he had a stupid laugh. He daren't ask Brendan, but he did broach the topic with Cheryl once.

"What do you think of Ste, Cheryl?"

Cheryl had peered at him over her bowl of cereal. "Why?" she asked suspiciously.

"Seeing as he's gonna be here all the time" Joel said, the bite in his tone. "I think I should know more about him"

Cheryl smirked a little. "I don't know what to tell you, love. He had a rough past, like yourself, but he turned his life around. He loves those kids of his"

"I heard one isn't even his" Joel muttered.

"And a good guy he is sticking by her!" Cheryl said, laughing incredulously. "Look, love. I know you see my brother as a kind of… father figure? But Ste's different, he isn't here to take your place"

"I know" Joel mumbled. "Just after Lynsey, I thought me and Brendan were really getting on"

"And you are!" Cheryl told him, her eyes moistening at the mention of Lynsey's name. "But listen, they spent two years on again, off again and they just want some peace for a while, you know?"

Joel nodded mutely.

"Why don't you try and get to know Ste? I know you'd like him if you did"

"Why?" Joel asked tersely.

"You're more alike than you think" Cheryl winked.

Cheryl wasn't the last person to suggest such a thing. Brendan approached him eventually, looking him over with a sigh and a frown, like a disapproving father would. Joel felt a tingle up his spine; what now?

"Ye don't like Stephen, do ye?"

Joel shrugged. "He's alright"

Brendan gave him a sceptical look. "Listen, there's room for both of ye here, ye get me? He isn't going anywhere"

Joel scuffed his shoes against the carpet. "Who says?"

"I do" Brendan said sternly. "He stays"

"Fine" Joel said, rolling his eyes. "I'm only looking out for you"

"I appreciate it" Brendan said, grinning wolfishly at him. "But it's not necessary, in this case"

"No?" Joel sounded sceptical.

"Stephen's for keeps" Brendan said. Joel had never seen him like this, so light, so honest.

"As long as he makes you happy…" Joel said reluctantly, giving a small smile.

"Ye know what else would make me happy?" Brendan whispered conspiratorially.

"What?" Joel asked warily.

Brendan grinned slowly, making Joel incredibly nervous…

And that was how he had found himself sitting on the sofa with Ste, metres apart, arms crossed, both of them.

Ste spoke first; he always found the need to fill silences with chatter.

"This is weird, init?" He laughed nervously. Joel closed his eyes, already irritated.

"It's what Brendan wanted"

"And you always do as he says?" Ste asked, looking at Joel keenly. "Can I give you some advice? Don't"

"Excuse me?" Joel turned to him, eyes blazing. "Who are you-"

"Who am I?" Ste narrowed his eyes. "I was here long before you, mate. If you think you can swan in and have him to yourself you've got another thing-"

"What are you on about? He wants you! You're all he cares about"

"That's crap and you know it" Ste huffed. "You have a girlfriend, don't you?"

Joel stared at him in disbelief. The realisation suddenly dawned on him. "You think I fancy him?" he spluttered.

"Don't you?" Ste glared at the carpet.

Joel couldn't help laughing. "Of course not! He's like my Dad!"

Ste looked at him sharply.

"Not to mention I'm straight" Joel said, a little more seriously. "Is that why you don't like me?"

"Mostly" Ste admitted, uncrossing his arms. "But you are a git, so there's that too"

Joel rolled his eyes but he was smiling. "The way I see it, we have one thing in common and that is we both love Brendan" Ste turned to look at him. "In different ways, obviously" he added quickly.

"Maybe we should try and get on then, make him happy" Ste mumbled.

"You do care about him don't you? You aren't going to run off and leave him? I know he's done some bad things but… he has changed"

Ste looked at him, his expression softening. "I know that, I've seen it. I won't leave him, I love him"

That was more than good enough for Joel. "Friends then?" he held out his hand.

Ste grinned wickedly, batting his hand away and making a lunge for him, pulling him into an embrace.

"Ste!" Joel shouted, thinking this was definitely crossing some boundaries.

"Sorry, always wanted to do that" Ste said, ruffling his hair.

"Pervert" Joel said, but he was smiling.

"'Ere right, you wanna freak Brendan out?" Ste's eyes were dancing with glee.

"How?"

"Follow my lead, when he comes back"

"Alright. And in the meantime?"

Ste glanced at the television. "What's he got? Something old school I bet"

"SNES" Joel said.

"Of course" Ste muttered affectionately, picking up the remotes. He looked like an overexcited kid. Joel began to wonder if Ste had any male friends of his own.

"Who do you normally play with?" Joel said, wincing when he realised how childish that sounded.

Ste's mouth turned down fractionally. "No one really… It's a bit awkward now with Doug, like. And I don't really like Ally anymore"

"Oh" Joel said lamely.

"And you?"

Joel grinned sheepishly. "Brendan sometimes. But… well, no one my own age really"

"I don't blame you, those other lot are idiots"

"Got that right" Joel glanced at him, feeling bold. "Hey, we could… you know, be friends? If you wanted?"

Ste smiled at him, the curve of his mouth soft. Joel wasn't remotely into men but he could see what Brendan saw in him now; he was kind of beautiful.

"I'd like that, a lot"

Joel nudged him with his shoulder. "Enough soppy crap, let's get on with it"

"Do you live in that jacket?" Ste laughed, nudging him back a little harder.

"Hey, nice to see your hair's grown back. I was beginning to think something had died up there"

"Oi! Watch it, you" Ste grinned. "Hey you're losing" he nodded at the television.

"I didn't know we'd started!"

"Should have been paying attention then!" Ste laughed.

They played for a while, laughing and bantering with each other. Joel felt lighter than he had in months. He was beginning to understand why Brendan kept Ste around; he had a knack for drawing out a smile or a laugh as well as a sort of boyish innocence that was sometimes replaced with moments of clarity that startled Joel.

After a while they heard keys in the door and Ste tapped Joel frantically, grinning. He threw himself across Joel's lap, closing his eyes. Joel looked at him in disbelief until Ste pinched his leg and Joel got the hint, closing his eyes and pretending to be asleep.

Brendan let the door shut with an almighty bang. He cleared his throat a few times. Joel squinted a little, looking at his face. He looked baffled and a little tense. Joel was beginning to think this was a terrible idea until Brendan grinned in amusement.

"What are ye like, Stephen" He sighed, moving to pull Ste gently off of Joel. He pulled him into his arms, supporting him. He ruffled Joel's hair affectionately before taking Ste towards the bedroom. As he went, Ste opened his eyes and winked.

And thus their friendship began.


End file.
